GoSooners Bowl Season Thread With "Running Dogs"!

russ1945 · Jan 25, 2009

I rated Notre Dame 16.1 on my rating scale which was higher than Ohio St and PennSt. I found (8) returning starters on offense losing their wide receivers but reurning the QB and 3 deep @ RB. On defense they return (6) players and they lose both safeties. They return their pk, kr, p, & pr.
They started off 4-1 and tapered to 6-6 and then won their bowl game to wind up 7-6. They get USC at home and that is when we know what they have. Had they beaten Pitt and Syracuse LY they would have wound up 9-4 and they lost to N. Car on the road by 5 pts. I think they will be a tough go for anyone they play next year. They have the momentum from the bowl, decent recruiting, and if they patch up the WR & Safety positions they could do some damage next year. Until I really looked at all their stats and data I never realized that they were as close as they really were to becoming a true contender. Losing at home to Pitt and Syracuse was very uncharacteristic. Good times could be in store in 09.

Conan · Jan 25, 2009

russ1945 said:
I rated Notre Dame 16.1 on my rating scale which was higher than Ohio St and PennSt. I found (8) returning starters on offense losing their wide receivers but reurning the QB and 3 deep @ RB. On defense they return (6) players and they lose both safeties. They return their pk, kr, p, & pr.
They started off 4-1 and tapered to 6-6 and then won their bowl game to wind up 7-6. They get USC at home and that is when we know what they have. Had they beaten Pitt and Syracuse LY they would have wound up 9-4 and they lost to N. Car on the road by 5 pts. I think they will be a tough go for anyone they play next year. They have the momentum from the bowl, decent recruiting, and if they patch up the WR & Safety positions they could do some damage next year. Until I really looked at all their stats and data I never realized that they were as close as they really were to becoming a true contender. Losing at home to Pitt and Syracuse was very uncharacteristic. Good times could be in store in 09.

Considering their schedule, it's made for a "comeback" of sorts. I can see them going 11-1 or 10-2. It's a pretty weak SOS overall. I wonder if that will matter very much in the polls though. They might be ranked low in the top 25 at the start but they should keep climbing most of the season.

russ1945 · Jan 25, 2009

Conan said:
Considering their schedule, it's made for a "comeback" of sorts. I can see them going 11-1 or 10-2. It's a pretty weak SOS overall. I wonder if that will matter very much in the polls though. They might be ranked low in the top 25 at the start but they should keep climbing most of the season.[/quote

I was surprised by their numbers although I am not exactly sure where they will rate later on. They are ahead of Penn St. and Ohio St. which shocked me. If they beat USC the media will lead the parade. I know Northcoast rated them very high on the list to be one of the most improved teams in 2008. He may have been a year early on that prediction. I now have a real appeciation for what Northcoast and others do and the advantage they have in collecting and tabulating data and statistics on an ongoing basis. They keep logs week to week and when one season ends they are ready for the next one except for evaluating coaching and player loses, and new players. I will continue to take their newsletter as well as pointwise if nothing else just for the weekly box scores and other stats.

nd2000 · Jan 25, 2009

russ1945 said:
I rated Notre Dame 16.1 on my rating scale which was higher than Ohio St and PennSt. I found (8) returning starters on offense losing their wide receivers but reurning the QB and 3 deep @ RB.

Actually, the bulk of the receiving will be back too. Floyd, Tate, and Kumara, all very talented players, will be back. Grimes is the only loss i believe, but we wasn't that talented anyways.

GoSooners · Jan 25, 2009

russ1945 said:
I rated Notre Dame 16.1 on my rating scale which was higher than Ohio St and PennSt. I found (8) returning starters on offense losing their wide receivers but reurning the QB and 3 deep @ RB. On defense they return (6) players and they lose both safeties. They return their pk, kr, p, & pr.
They started off 4-1 and tapered to 6-6 and then won their bowl game to wind up 7-6. They get USC at home and that is when we know what they have. Had they beaten Pitt and Syracuse LY they would have wound up 9-4 and they lost to N. Car on the road by 5 pts. I think they will be a tough go for anyone they play next year. They have the momentum from the bowl, decent recruiting, and if they patch up the WR & Safety positions they could do some damage next year. Until I really looked at all their stats and data I never realized that they were as close as they really were to becoming a true contender. Losing at home to Pitt and Syracuse was very uncharacteristic. Good times could be in store in 09.

Much of Notre Dame's success is also going to depend on all of the assistant coaching changes going on within the program. Verducci is coming in as their new OL coach. And they are also having to replace Offensive Cordinator Haywood (this may be a good thing). And their still looking for a defensive line coach. Sometimes these coaching changes can be good for a team. Sometimes not.